Lherzolite nodules from the Fen alkaline complex,Norway

The alkaline ultrabasic rooks (damkjernite) of the Fen alkaline complex contain abundant rounded inclusions of spinel lherzolite, closely similar in composition and mineralogy to the nodules found in many undersaturated basaltic rocks. Clinopyroxene compositions indicate crystallization at P=10–13 KB, T=1200–1250° C. A model involving partial melting in a rising diapir of mantle peridotite allows interpretation of the nodules either as mantle fragments or as cognate cumulates, and suggests that crustal thinning in the Oslo area possibly began as early as 500–600 m.y. ago. The presence of the nodules indicates that the damkjernite did not pause for intracrustal differentiation during its rapid ascent to the surface. The crustal contamination suggested by recent Sr-isotope studies may have occurred during differentiation at the base of the continental crust.Contribution No. 62 in The Norwegian Geotraverse Project.     

Nature of sudden auroral activations at the beginning of magnetic storms

Certain large magnetic lays, registered by magnetometers in the auroral and subauroral zones simultaneously with SC instant and accompanying events, substantially differ from activations at the beginning of auroral substorm. Such basic substorm elements as energy accumulation during the growth phase and breakup—activation in the localized region near midnight—are absent. During such sudden auroral activations (SAs), a disturbance begins in a wide sector of longitudes and latitudes. It is proposed to combine SAs into an individual class of magnetospheric disturbances. The particle acceleration and injection mechanism, which causes SAs, is considered.     

A New Method of Significance Testing for Correlation-Coefficient Fields and Its Application

Correlation-coefficient fields are widely used in short-term climate prediction research. The most frequently used significance test method for the correlation-coefficient field was proposed by Livezey, in which the number of significantcorrelation lattice(station) points on the correlation coherence map is used as the statistic. However, the method is based on two assumptions:(1) the spatial distribution of the lattice(station) points is uniform;and(2) there is no correlation between the physical quantities in the correlation-coefficient field. However, in reality, the above two assumptions are not valid.Therefore, we designed a more reasonable method for significance testing of the correlation-coefficient field. Specifically, a new statistic, the significant-correlation area, is introduced to eliminate the inhomogeneity of the grid(station)-point distribution, and an empirical Monte Carlo method is employed to eliminate the spatial correlation of the matrix.Subsequently, the new significance test was used for simultaneous correlation-coefficient fields between intensities of the atmospheric activity center in the Northern Hemisphere and temperature/precipitation in China. The results show that the new method is more reasonable than the Livezey method.     

Climate change and fluvial flood risk in the UK: more of the same?

The potential impact of climate change on fluvial flooding is receiving considerable scientific and political interest thanks to evidence from climate model projections and a widely held belief that flood risk may be increasing at European levels. This review compares published work on historical trends in UK rainfall and river flow records with high‐resolution regional climate change projections, and attempts to reconcile apparent differences between the two. Attention is focused on the techniques used for climate change detection and attribution, as well as the potential confounding effects of land‐use change. International and domestic efforts to build adaptive capacity rest on improved quantification of uncertainty in flood risk at very local, catchment and regional scales. This will involve further research to better integrate climate and land‐management interactions, to understand changes in the dependence between different flood generating mechanisms, and to improve the characterization and communication of uncertainty at all stages of analysis. Resources are also needed to ensure that latest, but still uncertain, science is presented in an appropriate form to underpin policy development and is translated into sensible guidance for practitioners. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decadal trend of climate in the Tibetan Plateau—regional temperature and precipitation

The Tibetan Plateau has one of the most complex climates in the world. Analysis of the climate in this region is important for understanding the climate change worldwide. In this study, climate patterns and trends in the Tibetan Plateau were analysed for the period from 1961 to 2001. Air temperature and precipitation were analysed on monthly and annual time scales using data collected from the National Meteorological Centre, China Meteorological Administration. Nonlinear slopes were estimated and analysed to investigate the spatial and temporal trends of air temperature and precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau using a Mann–Kendall method. Spatial analysis of air temperature and precipitation variability across the Tibetan Plateau was undertaken. While most trends are local in nature, there are general basinwide patterns. Temperature during the last several decades showed a long‐term warmer trend, especially the areas around Dingri and Zogong stations, which formed two increasing centres. Only one of the stations investigated exhibited decreasing trend, and this was not significant. Precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau has increased in most regions of the study area over the past several decades, especially in the eastern and central part, while the western Tibetan Region exhibited a decreased trend over the same period. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Axtell,a new CV3 chondrite find from Texas

Abstract— We describe a previously unreported meteorite found in Axtell, Texas, in 1943. Based on the mineralogical composition and texture of its matrix and the sizes and abundance of chondrules, we classify it as a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. The dominant opaque phase in the chondrules is magnetite, and that in refractory inclusions is Ni-rich NiFe metal (awaruite). Axtell, therefore, belongs to the oxidized subgroup of CV3 chondrites, although unlike Allende it escaped strong sulfidation. The meteorite bears a strong textural resemblance to Allende, and its chondrule population and matrix appear to be quite similar to those of Allende, but its refractory inclusions, thermoluminescence properties, and cosmogenic ⁶⁰Co abundances are not. Our data are consistent with a terrestrial age for Axtell of ～100 years and a metamorphic grade slightly lower than that of Allende.     

Variability of long-period pulsating stars. II. Additional parameters for classifying stars

Results are presented from an analysis of observations in a sample of 53 long-period pulsating stars (44 of which are Mira-type and 9 are semiregular variables). A catalog of the characteristics of the individual pulsation cycles of the light curves is obtained for these stars. A correlation analysis of the characteristics of the individual pulsation cycles is carried out for each star. A number if diagrams relating the variability of the characteristics of the individual cycles to the average parameters of the variability of the stars and to their spectral classes. New criteria for classifying long-period variables are proposed on the basis of these diagrams. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 595–612 (November 2006).     

Entropy‐based equation to assess hillslope sediment production

A new equation to assess hillslope sediment production, based on physical and probabilistic approaches, is presented. The equation, which allows the computation of the delivery ratio for every event, considers the physical variables of travel distance, stream power, settling velocity and gross erosion. The probability density function that arises from the new formulation is solved using the principle of maximum entropy. Based on data from five watersheds in both tropical and temperate zones, the new delivery parameter K_v is calibrated and associated with vegetation cover and conservation practice. The proposed equation is rationally based in relation to parameter K_v. The entropy‐based equation was applied to assess sediment yield in two other experimental watersheds, showing good predictability for the set (mean absolute error of 20·8%). No systematic error was found in the analysed data. The entropy‐based equation showed good predictability for long‐term sets of data and for high‐erosivity events, but did not perform well for the low‐erosivity ones. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upper mantle lateral heterogeneities and magnetotelluric daily variation data

We use telluric and magnetic data of the diurnal variation recorded in Europe, Australia and North America to study the magnetotelluric tensor in the 6h–24h period range. We use associate directions and we eliminate the effects of deviation of telluric currents. We thus obtain for each observatory reliable phases and apparent resistivity values representative of the neighbouring stratified substratum. It appears that the values obtained in the four European observatories (Saint-Maur, France; Ebro, Spain; Toledo, Spain; Nagycenk, Hungary) give similar results and that these results are different from those obtained either in Tucson (USA) or in Watheroo (Australia).Using Bostick transform we interpret these phase and apparent resistivity values in terms of conductivity of the upper mantle. We discuss then the conductivity heterogeneities in terms of change either in temperature, or partial melting or percentage of fluids of the upper mantle: at depths of about 300 km, the upper mantle appears to be 100 °C hotter under Australia than under Europe; the probable presence of fluids at depths about 100 km in the southwestern North America upper mantle appears to be responsible for the high observed conductivities. All these conductivity values are coherent with tomography results from Woodhouse and Dziewonsky: high (low) conductivities are cohernet with low (high)seismic wave velocities.     

Magnotospheric imaging of high latitude ion outflows

High latitude ion outflows mostly consist of upward streaming O⁺ and He⁺ emanating from the ionosphere. At heights above 1000 km, these flows consist of cold and hot components which resonantly scatter solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, however, the ion populations respond differently to Doppler shifting resulting from the large relative velocities between the ions and the Sun. The possibility of optical detection of the Doppler effect on the scattering rate will be discussed for the O⁺ (83.4 nm) ions. We have contrasted the EUV solar resonance images of these outflows by simulations of the 30.4 nm He⁺ and 83.4 nm O⁺ emissions for both quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions. Input data for the 1000 km level has been obtained from the EICS instrument aboard the Dynamics Explorer satellite. Our results show emission rates of 50 and 56 milli-Rayleighs at 30.4 nm for quiet and disturbed conditions and 65 and 75 milli-Rayleighs at 83.4 nm for quiet and disturbed conditions, respectively, obtained for a polar orbiting satellite and viewing radially outward. We also find that an imager at an equatorial distance of 9 R_E or more is in a favorable position for detecting ion outflows, particularly when the plasmapause is depressed in latitude. However, an occultation disk is necessary to obscure the bright plasmaspheric emissions.